A Study with Professor Moriarty
by MoriartyPosts
Summary: Reader/Moriarty (Moriame) You're a young first year student at Uni and have submitted yourself to a week of lectures from the great Professor Moriarty. Despite your close friendship with a fellow classmate, Moriarty has desires of his own...
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE:

Another dull day at the university went by; the sweltering June weather warmed the air only bringing discomfort in your small room. The pathetic fan rattled away, producing more noise than cool air. You lay in your bed draped in a thin bed sheet, your duvet hanging on the floor and your pillow smothering your face. Throwing the pillow aside, you sit up letting out a moan of frustration. _Why am I spending my first day of freedom from exams still at University!_Annoyed with your bad luck you reward yourself extra time to lie in a bit longer and despair. Eventually you drag yourself out of bed, put on your dressing gown and stare outside the window. It was only 7:45am; the sun had not yet reached its peak so the weather wasn't scorching, yet, just stuffy. Still in a daze you stroll into the bathroom and relax in the shower. The warm water seeps into your skin and instantly you feel better. Reluctantly you get out of the shower, fearing you could be late to the lecture. Wrapping a towel around your body and towel on your head, you step out back into the tip you call a room. Boxes lay scattered around the room- some empty some full, a half filled suitcase with clothes sprawling out of it is hidden under your desk and that's only the beginning.

Immediately you are drawn to your window by shrills of laughter. The post-exam celebrations have begun, unfortunately for you; your first week living la vida loca is going to be spent at University. You glare at the students who are ecstatically parading through the campus with their luggage. Friends kiss and hug each other goodbye, some in tears and others shriek with joy. Everyone ought to have left yesterday but no-one was going to miss the annual post-exam celebration hosted by Elle. Gorgeous, blonde, athletic and academic- Elle was the perfect student. She is daughter to very wealthy parents and renowned for her lavish, no expense spared parties. Although, she is normally first judged as the stereotypical rich bitch, Elle enjoyed the company of all types of people. All cliques were invited to Elle's parties and she socialised with everyone. Not wanting to miss out on the drunken fun, you attended for the first three hours but left swiftly at midnight. After all, going to a mathematic lecture unwillingly was one thing, but to attend unwillingly, tired and extremely hung-over was another. The party of course was a blast: the dancing, the drinks, the food and the atmosphere were most welcoming, but you thank yourself for not getting too drunk. Refreshed, you pull on your jeans and blow-dry your hair. Satisfied with its damp state you place your hair in an up-do, throw on your relatively low-cut and baggy shirt and delicately apply a meagre amount of makeup. _Shit! It's already 8:35am?_Rushing, you put on your wedges, gather the lecture-prep work alongside with your pencil case from your desk, dump it into your satchel and run towards the lecture hall. Thankfully your dorm is the closest to the school's main site.

A hubbub of loud gossiping and laughter radiates from the lecture hall, indicating the lecturer hadn't arrived yet. With a sigh of relief, you enter the scarce room. For such noise, you're astonished by the lack of people; then again you doubt many people were stupid enough to waste their first week exam free at Uni. _Why the hell did I sign up for these lectures, lectures on maths, what could I possibly gain from this?_Of course, the extra credit: The extra credit that would look brilliant on your CV, but even that could not justify the undesirable timing. With a sense of foreboding, you walk ¾ of the way into the lecture hall and perch yourself onto the edge of the row of seats. Most people were still turning up, probably hung-over from last night judging by the way they squinted in the sunlight. You pull out your prep-work: a 300 paged text book on the history of Pythagoras' Theorem dating back to its early founders known as the Babylonians and the completed algebra questions that had been set. You scan the room for a familiar but friendly face. Everyone here was acquainted with each other, the community was tight-knit but individual cliques still remained. The first few front rows filled up quickly with those who were keen, the slackers slouched in the back rows and the middle rows were reserved for those who couldn't give a shit. Five people braved themselves onto your row: A couple of bitching girls who sit at the furthest end, an average built blonde guy who cleverly reads a hidden comic book inside his textbook, a chubby brunette who in one hand holds her pencil case and the other a large bag of sweets and lastly a lean handsome guy who much to your surprise seems normal. In fact he was more than handsome, you can't help but stare. He sits majestically, unpacking the necessaries from his bag. His green eyes are gorgeous and his features are sharp. His soft hair hadn't been combed which made him look more appealing. You thank the heavens he is the one sitting the closest to you. Well at least you now had some eye-candy to get you by.

"Hi, my name's Jasper, I don't believe we've meet." He smirks: A handsome smile to match a handsome guy. You introduce yourself and return the smile. It was now 8:49am, so you open your pencil case to prepare for the class. Somehow you manage to drop your ruler which falls with a loud clatter. Simultaneously, you both reach to pick it up, causing you to bang into each other. Holding onto your head you sit up right. Jasper automatically infectiously laughs; you cannot help but join in. He places a hand on your knee and says:

"Here let me get it," With that, he ducks down briefly before appearing with your ruler, wearing a broad smirk. You stare quizzically as to what could be so amusing.

"You a Harry potter fan?" He jests; you take back the green emerald ruler that has the Syltherin's crest hologram on it.

"Yes, I'm a die-hard fan, got a problem?" You mischievously say. He raises his hands in surrender making you giggle.

"What would you do if I was tell you I haven't even watched the films, let alone read the books?" He says, you cannot tell if he's joking.

"You are teasing me right?" You say trying to be deadly serious, but cannot suppress a smile. He simply raises an eyebrow and shrugs his shoulders.

"Well, in that case, I say we would have to rectify the situation." You continue trying to sound seductive, but your genetics simply will not allow you to be sexy at all.

He opens his mouth to reply but your flirtation is cut short as the lecturer finally strides in at exactly 9am on the dot. He's not particularly tall, but definitely above average height. His suit fits his broad shoulder perfectly, the fine, expensive material hugs his body and his pants are of perfect cut. His shoes are gorgeous and well polished- clearly a man who can dress himself. His attire certainly attracts eyes, as girls gush and giggle with his presence. His large eyes glisten, a deep coffee colour and his eyebrows help frame his face. Not that his frame needs to be enhanced, his nose elongates his face in a flattering way and underneath is a smallish mouth surrounded by stubble. His cheekbones are angular but not as angular as his jaw line. Even his hair is perfectly gelled back, not so much that it looked greasy, but it complements him- much like everything else he did. You scan his left hand and see no ring, which for some odd reason makes you happy. He places his briefcase by the edge of his desk and takes off his blazer. He is wearing a white open-neck shirt, which (like all his clothes) perfectly fit him- revealing his muscles. Walking in front his desk, he leans against it and clears his throat- immediately silencing the class.

"Hello class, I hope most of you are not too hung over from last night's drinking extravaganza." He half smiles, making you fluster, "I am Professor Jim Moriarty and as you all can probably gather, I am here to ruin your post-exam fun."

He automatically wins over the class, as they laugh respectfully at his remark and wit. With ease, he takes control of the class, gaining their trust with just his personality. His accent is unworldly, it's obviously from an Irish background but it's also a fine concoction of something else. Whatever it is: his voice soothed and played on words- most definitely the sexiest accent. A late-comer arrives, she rushes to the nearest available seat, apologetically looking at Professor Moriarty.

"First for some ground rules: I expect punctuality. Class starts at 9am sharp and as this is your first lesson with me, I will not punish anyone for being late," he says staring at the late-comer, who now blushes profusely. "For me to provide an enjoyable lesson, I expect you all to keep your end of the bargain. That means pay attention and do the work and as a result, I will try my best." He pauses to sip his coffee. "I hope we can have a good week together and that you will find this class more tasteful than this cup of coffee." He washes down the after-taste of the coffee with water, his facial expression illustrating how revolting it was and bins the cup. And by doing so, makes the class laugh once again. _Yes the school coffee was certainly a no-go._

The class seemed to be going fine: We listened, made notes, laughed and learned. The first hour passed like a breeze. However the presence of Jasper constantly kept you on edge, you could feel him stare at you and smile at you. He gently tapped your hand, smirking the way he did and complemented your handwriting in a low gushy whisper. You burn up and blush with excitement, only able to respond by smiling and hastily get back to your equation. The class is quietly working, solving the problems. Professor M remains seated at his desk, his arms behind his head as he observes the class. You glance up once, catching his eyes. Almost feeling guilty for looking up, you quickly resume your work and do not dare to look up again.

***BEEP***

Your phone vibrates on the desk, loudly alerting you have a new text. _Fuck._The whole class turn in sync to face your row. Before you can begin to blush the shade of ultimate embarrassment, Jasper holds your phone and stands up.

"Sorry, Sir, I completely forgot to turn my phone off." He says smoothly. You remain inert, how do you react to this? You touch Jasper's leg, but he shakes you off; a warning to not fess up. Taking the hint, you sit quietly in your guilt.

"Well, seeing as you are so honest about it; you can collect your phone after class." Professor Moriarty says equally smoothly completely credulous to the situation. He walks towards your row whilst continuing:

"Let this be a warning: No more phones." He collects the phone as hands go fumbling into bags to turn off phones.

Professor M leans over your desk reaching for the phone. He smels divine; a hint of cologne follows after him, refreshing the air. After he had returned to his desk, you turn to Jasper and whisper your gratitude. Politely he smiles and mouths "It's okay."

The lesson passed on undisturbed and finally the bell chimed at 12pm indicating the class was over. Everyone rushed from their seats, talking to their friends, planning their lunch break. You linger, slowly packing your bag and then wait outside the classroom's door. Jasper and Professor M only briefly spoke, as Jasper emerges from the room only a few minutes after you.

"You are too kind, good sir." You jest, smiling helplessly at the way he tousles his hair. He was busy beeping away at your phone. Impulsively, you rush towards him and try to snatch it back.

"Hey, what are you doing?" You exclaim, as he uses his height as an advantage: One hand holding your phone high in the air, the other holding you back. Laughing, you jump trying to reach the phone. Suddenly he gives in and hands it back- satisfied by your desperation.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't help it." He simply replies, chuckling. Smiling the way he does, wooing you.

"Thank you so much for taking the blame, although you really didn't have to do it! But thank you, I am indebted to you." You stutter appreciatively.

"Don't sweat it, but since you feel so indebted, I have an idea or two on how you can repay me." He says, leaning closer towards you, his voice growing darker.

"And how can I do that?" You playfully reply. With a week stuck at school, you were going to make it a fun one.

"I'll pick you up at 5." He smiles and begins to walk away.

"Wait! What if I say no?" You tease, although it was fairly clear you wanted this.

"You owe me!" He replies instinctively in a mocking shocked tone.

"Fine, but you have no idea where I live and I have no idea how to get in contact with you." You stare baffled by his so-called plan. "But then again I'm guessing you've already put your number in my phone?"

"Call me," And with that, he's off, walking away from you. This stranger called Jasper, for whom you have fallen for.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO:

An indescribable feeling lingers as you walk down the hallway towards the lunch hall. A fluttering sense of warmth fills you and you cannot help but feel giddy. Jasper was overwhelmingly forward and the desire to meet him tonight kept you going. Opening the door to the hall you scan the room: five people in line and small individual group of friends sit eating in their own areas. Thankfully, you catch the attention of a third-year blonde. Her hair is carefully braided into a French plait that she wears to the side, her pastel-yellow summer dress sways as she rushes towards you. You remember meeting her at Elle's party last night; together you talked, drank and danced. She was delightful and from what you can gather a good person. With a dazzling smile, but mostly importantly a welcoming smile she says:

"Hi, it's lovely to see you again!" She exclaims grasping you into a hug, taking you by surprise.

"Veronica. Hi!"You stutter hoping you remember her name correctly.

"Please call me V and what are you still doing here? Aren't all the first years out of here?" She interrogates whilst putting an apple onto her tray. She glides past the salad bar taking an array of healthy foods; you join her helping yourself to a bowl of green leaves.

"Yes, most left this morning. I foolishly signed up for these maths lectures which last a week." You sigh, although it wasn't entirely bad, you did after all meet Jasper.

"Well I'm stuck here for the week too, newspaper stuff." She glances at your lunch, "Who are you eating with? Come eat with the committee, I'm sure they would love to meet you." She cheerfully invites you and not wanting to eat alone, you happily accept her offer.

You walk over to a round table and sprawled around it sit 7 people. They stop their hush-hush conversation at your arrival. Veronica gives the introductions and everyone mutters their hellos. After a while the conversation dies down so you sit and pick at your food. The meal itself was unappetising and the company was dull. In an attempt to ease the mood, Veronica starts the conversation.

"So, what do you study here?" Although she already knew the answer, you assume she was just trying to include the others.

"Well I'm taking my first year in maths. It's great but I do miss other subjects." You recite the line. The truth is you adored the subject and loved doing it. Most people laughed at your passion so it was easier to lie.

"Well we are all studying English literature, journalism and media studies. Just can't get enough of those classics!" She jokes and with a half smiles looks around the table to see if she has caught the attention of anyone. You really liked Veronica; she was so good-hearted and she really did try to make you feel more included.

"I really hated English when I was younger; I had to write a few pieces for the school magazine in college and I couldn't stand it. I'm definitely more of a science person." You say hesitantly, _maybe it wasn't a good idea to state my hatred for English to the school's newspaper committee._

1:45pm and you have just finished the boring lunch. With a polite smile you excuse yourself from the newspaper committee and escape the conversation. Gosh, they were all so fake: the conversation had been anything but exciting and everyone sat glaring at each other. There were clearly some avoided tensions in the group that no one had confronted: Instead, at moments of awkwardness someone took the lead, raised the volume, and changed the conversation a turn for the better. With Veronica leaving this year, the position for head of the committee was available and competition for it was high. The worst of it was the fact that Veronica had to pass down the role to someone she deemed fit, so most were falling head over heels trying to please her. Letting the matter go, you turn to find Veronica to say goodbye. She stood by the drinks machine in deep discussion with a teacher. Not wanting to disturb you linger a while, taking your time to put your tray away. As the conversation looked like it was drawing to an end, you slowly approach Veronica who much to your surprise shouts:

"Ah, here she is," She breathes in with a sigh of relief. _What was going on? _

"Great, I expect it to be done in 4 days! It must be included in this issue Veronica." The teacher sternly says staring at you. He stalks off and Veronica immediately relaxes.

"I need a really big favour from you." She places a hand on your arm as she begins to explain.

"I have my last issue this week and Mr. Jones recommended we do a segment on Professor Moriarty as it is a rarity to have him volunteer to do a course. Initially we were going to have Pete cover it but Jones wants us to have a first-hand take on it."She rambles. It doesn't take you long to piece it together.

"So you want me to write a scoop on him?" The horror in your voice is clear. "Veronica, I can't write for shit," you continue.

"Look, I know this is a massive ask, but I really need you. Please, you have the experience and it will be a short one. 800 words max?" _How could I ignore her plea?_

"Fine, but I'm seriously out of practice, I haven't written in over two years or so." Veronica swiftly cuts you off.

"Don't worry, you write and I'll edit. Hell, you could take notes during the lecture and I can write it. I really need your take on this." Her desperation rises with each word.

"You have me, I'll write it. But won't the others mind? I mean the committee seem far from chummy at the moment." You start, hoping the excuse could worm you out of it. _I am going to regret this._

"No, it will be more than fine. I'm sorry if lunch was awkward for you, everyone's on their last legs! We all just want to leave this place now. And I know I just dragged you into writing this article but I owe you!" Her sincerity was clear and for an unexplainable reason you trusted her.

"Anyways, I better go. I have an article to write!" You sarcastically say and head towards the lift.

The lift takes forever to arrive so you let your mind drift off to Jasper and his brash charm. Who said romance was dead? He was so charismatic, he radiated with kindness and above all he seemed all too surreal. _Maybe he should have texted by now? Should I make the first move?_ You stare at your phone completely puzzled as various scenarios (many of which were of an erotic nature) cloud your head. The lift pings open, you don't even notice the sound or the person revealed by the sliding door. A gentle cough cuts your day dream short. Feeling completely embarrassed to be caught off guard in midst of a dirty fantasy: quickly you snap up at your intruder. And there stands Professor Moriarty holding a stack of papers, books and folders. He looks up at you, greeting you with a warm heart-melting smile. Realising you had stood motionless a split-second too long, you hop into the lift, avoiding eye-contact. From the moment he walked into the lecture hall, he had certainly left most girls helplessly in want with his looks. But now, seeing him up close only made his attractiveness more evident. You take this opportunity to study him with brief inconspicuous glances and he you.

"How did you find it?" He begins, initiating small talk.

"The lesson? Well, yes I did enjoy it." You respectfully reply with a sweet smile. _As if I can tell the truth._

"Good, I'm glad to hear." His accent pleasantly annunciates each word tenderly.

After a brief pause you manage to resume conversation to avoid awkwardness.

"That's a lot of marking you have to do." As you look at the pile of class and prep work.

"Yes, a horrible way to spend the evening." He chuckles, "I have so much marking; I can barely hold it."

"Well I can help you carry it?" You ask, in an attempt of being polite.

"Take the top half, thanks." He quickly looks at you before speaking, in a domineering tone.

You reach for the stack of paper; your arm gently brushes against his hand. You carefully section out the stack, taking near to exactly half the amount.

"Are you ok? It's not too heavy?" There was genuine care lingering in his words.

"It's only paper." You sardonically say. He narrows his eyes and continues.

"Yes, of course." His tone is just as facetious, almost insulted by your remark.

The lift journey halted to an end as the doors swung open on the ground floor. You follow his lead as Professor Moriarty strolls casually through the entrance hall. The agonising heat has no affect on him, whatsoever. _Doesn't the man sweat?_ He pushes the door open with his back, holding it open for you to walk through: _A gentleman as well as hot. _You say your thanks and wait for him to assume the lead again. As you trail alongside him you observe him closer, knowing he cannot see you. From his shoulders, you notice the distinct curves of his upper arm muscles. His tight shirt revealed all dimples and crescents in his skin: Two dimples on his lower back both symmetrically placed either side of his spine. Abandoning your errant thoughts, you realise how long you have been walking for. _Where is he taking me? _The car park merges into view as you turn the corner.

"I apologise for the walk," He mutters as though he read your thoughts.

"It's fine, I've walked further." You chuckle trying to lighten the mood.

He prompts you to place your folders in first and you stand waiting for him to do the same. With the last folder in the trunk, you feel your phone vibrate in your side pocket. Your body jumps and your stomach twists into knots as you entertain the possibility of Jasper texting you. As you pull your phone out to read the text, you are well aware of Professor Moriarty's brutal stare. He lightly chuckles to himself before fixing his focus back to the trunk. _Was he laughing at me?_ Confused, you quickly glance at him, furrowing your eyebrows.

"It's funny, that." He says smoothly, still amused with himself whilst pointing his chin at your hands. Not knowing how to respond you simply look at him, arching an eyebrow. It's the first time you dare to match his gaze as you stare into his large eyes. You swallow trying to suppress your arousal.

"You see, Mr. Saltzman just so happens to have the same phone as you." He smirks, his eyes completely locked onto you. Mr. Saltzman... Oh he's talking about Jasper! Oh shit, panic settles in quickly rendering you incapable of responding. Words fail to form; _how do I reply? Am I in trouble, or worse is Jasper?_ His gaze is dark and motionless making the situation even more unnerving.

"I..." You begin to stutter, trying to form an excuse or to tell the truth. Just as you were about to splutter out another response: The corner of Professor Moriarty's mouth begins to twitch and he breaks out into a soft smirk. His lips move just enough to indicate he wasn't angry. Relief sets in and you return the smile.

"You don't have to explain yourself to me." He gently says although you detect some threat as he clenches his jaw.

"He's just a good friend." There, the words are out in such haste, you are taken aback by your stupidity. _Did I seriously say that? Oh gosh, no!_ You squirm with sheer embarrassment but Professor Moriarty softens his gaze. He folds his arms: His left arm resting across his stomach balancing his right arm which reaches for his chin. Gently he caresses his tilted chin with his hand, his finger tips playing on his lower lip.

"Anyway, I should be off, I... err have an assignment to complete, Professor," You turn around but before you can run away, Professor Moriarty begins to talk.

"Have a good night." He murmurs and with his bidding you take your leave.

As you turn away you pull out your phone and a text from a number you don't recognise meets you. _Jasper!_


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

Sender: The guy who saved your ass

Received 3.01pm, 13-07-12

I thought you agreed to call? I'm waiting for your sweet reply.

The named he used to save his number made you chuckle. There was something about the rather long nick name that made the friendship feel special. You debate whether to reply immediately or to wait a while and play it cool. The desire to text him back and the burning need to meet him again all screamed to reply now. He was just so fascinating and the first boy to proposition you like that. His affect still lingers over you, making you blush every time you remember it. But, despite the longing you decide to wait, at least until you make it back home.

Of course, the journey home was short and not even 15 minutes had passed since receiving the text. It all seemed too sudden: Meeting Jasper and getting back into writing. It all felt so fresh, completely different from the year of studying. The summer ahead looked promising, romance was in the air and the future seemed stable for once. The exams you sat had gone fine and you were living quite a comfortable lifestyle even though it was a student lifestyle.

You attempt to pass time by tossing your phone in the air which obviously failed. Turning on your macbook you decide to read some articles to pick up some writing techniques. Veronica was relying on you, and you were not going to disappoint. Writing was definitely harder than you remember. There were so many different angles you could base the article one. But you couldn't concentrate. Not in this state, you need to reply to Jasper now.

To: The guy who saved your ass

Sent: 3:57pm, 13-07-12

Call so soon? We've only been apart for 3 hours… Nice name by the way; "The guy who saved your ass." Very witty. You didn't save my ass! Well you did, but it wasn't necessary x

The satisfaction of sending the text message settled in immediately, now the tedious wait followed. A short minute had passed, but was enough time to stir doubt in your message. Maybe it came across as trying-hard too much or maybe it came across as not even flirting? A welcomed buzz from your phone broke your wait.

Sender: The guy who saved your ass

Received: 4:03pm, 13-07-12

Why thank you, I take pride in my wit ;) It was most certainly necessary because now I have a date for tonight. And I guess you could say I've missed you? X

To: Jasper

Sent: 4.10pm, 13-07-12

Well less than four hours until you have the privilege to meet me again . (Also I think you should know I've changed your name back to Jasper, "The guy who saved your ass" just didn't quite flow as easily. X

Sender: Jasper

Received: 4:19pm, 13-07-12

You changed it?! We can fix that tonight. Seeing as I'm picking you up it would be wise for me to know where you live?

I cannot wait for tonight. X

You reply to Jaspers text with your campus block and door number and unlike before he doesn't reply as quickly. Not panicking, you distract yourself focusing on the article and tidying boxes. Two hours had passed before you receive a message.

Sender: Jasper

Received: 6:30pm, 13-07-12

Sweet. I'll see you in an hour.

Unpacking a few boxes you finally find suitable attire for a casual date. After a process of trial and error you find a nice outfit and then curl your hair into soft curls. Jasper collects you at 7:40pm, 10 minutes late but you didn't mind. You open the door relieved to see he wasn't in a three piece suit but he came casually smart. He stood handsomely in a black blazer, the collar and sleeves were lined in white and looked flattering on him, underneath he wore a dark grey t-shirt that had a v-neck and he wore comfortable-looking jeans. He stands in the door way just looking at you, taking in every detail.

"Hey! You look… wow."

He spits out with much difficulty whilst half smiling at you, his eyes smouldering. You blush and laugh, fully content with his compliment as the hour you had spent picking out a dress was time well spent. This turquoise-sea blue skirt is your favourite. The pattern is summery, certainly an intricate one; gold and yellow outlines of small flowers were placed all over the skirt which flowed down in several layers. The layers all cut off at different lengths, shorter in the front and the back was longer. Despite the voluminous layers the skirt somehow gave an illusion of a slimmer figure. On top you wore a plain white crop top and a statement rose gold necklace. You noticed how tall Jasper was compared to you so you made an effort to wear wedges.

"Thanks, you are looking quite dapper yourself." You say reaching out both hands to straighten his blazer, in an attempt to appear flirtier. He takes both your hands in his and edges you into the room. Momentarily you are struck with panic as you worry as to what he could want from you. You aren't the type of girl to have sex with a guy you barely knew. You quickly try to think of something to break the moment.

"So where do you want to go?" You splutter out, retracting your hands to your sides and taking a large step back. To make it look more natural you turn to your desk and take a pair of earrings and put them on. Turning back you see Jasper has made himself quite comfortable on the only chair and he's looking at all the clutter, trying to conceal his shock.

"Oh sorry about the mess, I'm trying to pack everything. Hopefully I'm going back to see my parents after the lectures."

"No… no it's perfectly fine, in fact you should see the state of my room. I was thinking we could go to the Italian restaurant just outside of campus?"He asks, his hands cupping his chin, weirdly reminding you about your encounter with Professor Moriarty.

"Yes that sounds perfect."

"Good because I've already made a reservation which we should hurry to if we don't want to be late!" Excitedly he jumps out of the chair and picks up a shawl which you had left on your bed and puts it around you.

"It's breezy outside and it brings out your eyes." He winked and then made his way to the door.

Now sitting in Jasper's car you realise how foolish you had been. Jasper is lovely, slightly bold but he means well. He would never force anyone into anything, he was just being playful earlier. Jasper steadily drove before delving into conversation.

"That Professor Moriarty guy's a bit weird isn't he?" Jasper pondered.

"Really what makes you say that? I think he's nice and everyone loves him! Don't they?" The conversation sparked some genuine concern, for reasons unknown to you.

"Yes, I mean everyone likes him but I get a weird vibe from him. He just doesn't fit in? I don't know; it's hard to phrase."

The conversation settled at that and then turned to the basics. We spoke about family, friends, what kind of degree he wanted and just general knowledge about each other. Jasper has a younger sister, whom he's very fond of. There is only 2 years of an age gap between them so they get on well. Jasper's parents divorced when he was at the age of 11 and fortunately didn't have a negative effect on him or his sister as both his parents remained good friends. Jasper and his sister lived his mum after the divorce but visited his dad frequently. Soon after, his mum had found another man whom she married to and this had all happened by the time he had turned 16. Friends wise Jasper seemed (from what he said) like the central of everything. He was a popular kid growing up and partied most weekends. However he still manages to stay on top of his academic, musical and sporting life. He was extraordinary. Jasper didn't mention any of these in a gloating or conceited way. He let it slip in conversation and didn't make a fuss about any of it. He politely asked you about yourself, only making you realise how unadventurous your life was compared to him. You talk about your childhood, your parents and your family villa situated in Bordeaux and your annual summer trips there.

Jasper pulled into the car park of the restaurant. Coming out the car you can get a better look at the place. It was a small restaurant that had an authentic sense of warmness. There were round wooden tables under a canopy of which had green vines and fairy lights entwined into it. There were several candles and couples who sat, eating and laughing. Walking into the restaurant the place was even livelier. A baritone was singing to an uplifting jazz beat accompanied with a saxophone.

Taking a table, you sit down and read the menu carefully planning what to eat and play it safe by choosing a starter of a seafood medley of scallops and calamari; Jasper goes for a seared tuna steak and orders the wine. Conversation was in full flow and Jasper kept the atmosphere light by throwing in the odd joke. For the main course you struggle to decide what to order but go for black truffle risotto and Jasper decides on cannelloni.

"This is so good!" Jasper says as he dives into his food.

"It looks good, but not as good as mine. I love risotto." You say, taking a sip of wine.

"Hmm, well you should try this," He takes a forkful and points it towards you. You wonder whether it was a good idea to take the bit, but decide it would be rude not too. And by Jove was it nice.

"Ok fine, you win, yours is better." You smile and reconcile with Jasper. He smiles, completely chuffed.

The meal was pleasant and after declining the offer to eat desert Jasper calls for the bill. Taking out his wallet Jasper prepared his card for when the waiter returned. He offered to pay but you wanted to pay your half. Regardless of how adamantly he suggested he should pay, you rejected his offer.

"Fine! But next time I'm paying for it all. No arguments." He jokily said.

"There's a next time?" You play it cool; masking how excited you are there is a next time.

"Yes tomorrow night, ideally." He was dead serious.

"Do I get a say in what I do tomorrow night?"

"Of course you do, as long as it's involving me." He broke out into a smile that makes you smile too.

"We'll see." You bite your lower lip trying to suppress your Cheshire grin. Jasper abruptly stands up and walks over to your chair.

"Shall we?" He extends his arm and you take it. Gingerly you both walk out the restaurant. The night was going perfectly; you couldn't help but feel sad it was drawing to an end.

"Have you been to The Meadows?" He asked with the enthusiasm of a child at Christmas.

"No… What's The Meadows?" You were confused; it's probably a cool hang out for popular people.

"You're kidding me right? Okay, I've got to take you there now." He was so demanding but you were happy to spend more time with him.

Leaving the car in the car park of the restaurant, you follow Jasper through the small town. The sun was setting and the sky above was ablaze with a passionate orange, the glow above turned buildings into silhouettes. As it was a Monday the town was fairly empty and the summer warmth carried romance in the air. Climbing over the locked gate to a forest, Jasper took you down a narrow path.

The Meadows is the most serene place you've seen. The whole setting was wondrous, undisturbed. The moonlight was bright, lighting the whole place. A small stream ran through the hills, the rippling water catching the moonlight. The whole place made you feel warmth that fluttered in your stomach. Suddenly being here, walking hand in hand with Jasper just felt so timeless.

"It's so calm here, so peaceful. It's wonderful, thank you." You say throwing any adjective that came to mind.

"That's quite alright. It is beautiful though; there's something about this place that makes me feel so alive and at peace with everything. Being here makes me feel infinite."Jasper mindlessly and quietly said. It was that moment you knew you wanted to do it. You stop and turn to face him and pull him a little closer. Your front touched his and standing on your tiptoes you lean into kiss him. He seemed shocked by it but put his hand around your waist holding you, the other he placed on your neck. You kissed passionately, and nothing more. The moment was perfect.

After, Jasper looked at you his eyes were lustrous but he didn't ruin the moment by going any further. Instead he smiled down at you before announcing the time. It was 10.00pm so you head back.

By 10.20pm you were already home and Jasper, being the gentleman he was, walked you to the door.

"Thank you tonight was beautiful." You sincerely say. Jasper scoops you into a bear hug and holds you for some time. He nuzzles his nose against your hair before whispers in your ear.

"You're welcome."

He kisses your cheek and with that he detaches himself from you and heads back to his car.


End file.
